1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a circuit arrangement with a current circuit and to a method for monitoring a current circuit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Current circuits are used in the most various areas of technology for supplying consumers. In supplying a consumer, in particular a consumer in a motor vehicle, in which the consumer performs safety-oriented functions, monitoring the current supply is an essential aspect of safety. The current supply is necessary if the safety-oriented consumer is to be capable of functioning correctly, and this current supply must therefore be monitored with regard to a failure or an error mode.
It is already known in such safety-critical systems as an electromechanical brake in a motor vehicle to provide a current sensor in the current circuit and to detect the current flowing in the current circuit via the current sensor, compare it with a comparison value, and depending on the outcome of comparison, to detect an error function or correct function of the current circuit. For instance, if an electronically commutated motor is driven via the current circuit, then via the current sensor the phase current is measured, and the torque that the motor is to output is adjusted with the aid of a phase current regulator. At the same time, the capability of correct function is monitored via the current measurement by the current sensor.